Townshend Seismic speaker platforms, my thoughts.

[Ady]

So for anyone who might be interested I decided to give these platforms a go as @cheyworth was selling them following his house move.
My speakers are Klipsch Cornwall 4's and were sitting on a carpeted solid concrete floor in a terraced house that was built around 1910. My mindset was if they didn't make a positive difference I could always move them on with no great loss.
After a bit of faffing about I got them set up with the speakers in exactly the same position as before but about 2-3 cm higher. IMHO to my ears the sound is now more detailed and has more clarity. After a week of listening I really like them and they will be staying.
Cheers Ady

 

[lostwin]

So for anyone who might be interested I decided to give these platforms a go as @cheyworth was selling them following his house move.
My speakers are Klipsch Cornwall 4's and were sitting on a carpeted solid concrete floor in a terraced house that was built around 1910. My mindset was if they didn't make a positive difference I could always move them on with no great loss.
After a bit of faffing about I got them set up with the speakers in exactly the same position as before but about 2-3 cm higher. IMHO to my ears the sound is now more detailed and has more clarity. After a week of listening I really like them and they will be staying.
Cheers Ady

If you want to try an A -B comparison you can always add ‘chocks’ under the platforms which will largely bypass the isolation from the springs. Having said that, your findings don’t surprise me - even with a concrete floor. Glad spring isolation is working it’s magic on you as well

 

[Ady]

If you want to try an A -B comparison you can always add ‘chocks’ under the platforms which will largely bypass the isolation from the springs. Having said that, your findings don’t surprise me - even with a concrete floor. Glad spring isolation is working it’s magic on you as well

Thanks for that. I did spend a couple of hours listening to some favourite tracks prior to adding the platforms then listening to the same music again. The change in detail/clarity was obvious and for the better.
I'm already thinking about whether my new sub would benefit from coupling to the concrete floor via spikes or decoupling via isolation? I have no idea really, maybe I should just leave things alone now.
Cheers Ady

 

[newlash09]

So for anyone who might be interested I decided to give these platforms a go as @cheyworth was selling them following his house move.
My speakers are Klipsch Cornwall 4's and were sitting on a carpeted solid concrete floor in a terraced house that was built around 1910. My mindset was if they didn't make a positive difference I could always move them on with no great loss.
After a bit of faffing about I got them set up with the speakers in exactly the same position as before but about 2-3 cm higher. IMHO to my ears the sound is now more detailed and has more clarity. After a week of listening I really like them and they will be staying.
Cheers Ady

Thanks for sharing that sir

When I first added isoacoustics gaia III's under my speakers on ceramic tiled, solid concrete floor I was very impressed with the detail improvement, and the bass also sounded more defined. Being convinced with these isolation devices, I also upgraded to the townshend seismic podiums ( bought 2nd hand on the wam last year ). Haven't tried them out yet

As my speakers are DIY, and as crazy as it sounds, I will be chopping them up into 2 sections, each separated from the other by the townshend podiums

 

[Ady]

Thanks for sharing that sir

When I first added isoacoustics gaia III's under my speakers on ceramic tiled, solid concrete floor I was very impressed with the detail improvement, and the bass also sounded more defined. Being convinced with these isolation devices, I also upgraded to the townshend seismic podiums ( bought 2nd hand on the wam last year ). Haven't tried them out yet

As my speakers are DIY, and as crazy as it sounds, I will be chopping them up into 2 sections, each separated from the other by the townshend podiums

That sounds very interesting . Hopefully you can post some pictures when the project is finished and your thoughts on how they alter the sound.
Good luck
Ady

 

[newlash09]

That sounds very interesting . Hopefully you can post some pictures when the project is finished and your thoughts on how they alter the sound.
Good luck
Ady

Sure sir...will do

 

[tuga]

So for anyone who might be interested I decided to give these platforms a go as @cheyworth was selling them following his house move.
My speakers are Klipsch Cornwall 4's and were sitting on a carpeted solid concrete floor in a terraced house that was built around 1910. My mindset was if they didn't make a positive difference I could always move them on with no great loss.
After a bit of faffing about I got them set up with the speakers in exactly the same position as before but about 2-3 cm higher. IMHO to my ears the sound is now more detailed and has more clarity. After a week of listening I really like them and they will be staying.
Cheers Ady

You should tilt the speakers when on the platforms or put some plinths under the speakers for a fair/meaningful comparison.
Listening above or below axis makes a lot more difference than playing with toe-in (unless the speakers use coaxial mid-tweeters).

 

[awkwardbydesign]

I have yet to hear a bad word said against them, apart from the cost. Which is why I made my own.

 

[awkwardbydesign]

You should tilt the speakers when on the platforms or put some plinths under the speakers for a fair/meaningful comparison.

Or sit up straight!

 

[Tarzan]

Thanks for sharing that sir

When I first added isoacoustics gaia III's under my speakers on ceramic tiled, solid concrete floor I was very impressed with the detail improvement, and the bass also sounded more defined. Being convinced with these isolation devices, I also upgraded to the townshend seismic podiums ( bought 2nd hand on the wam last year ). Haven't tried them out yet

As my speakers are DIY, and as crazy as it sounds, I will be chopping them up into 2 sections, each separated from the other by the townshend podiums

A pair of Podiums per speaker- Respect Sir!

 

[newlash09]

A pair of Podiums per speaker- Respect Sir!

Sorry sir

Maybe I misrepresented things. But it will only be one podium per speaker.

 

[Digger.b]

I've had the bars for a long time. They are very influential on the sound quality.

Not a bad word to say

 

[Tarzan]

Sorry sir

Maybe I misrepresented things. But it will only be one podium per speaker.

Boo!

 

[peter the butcher]

Thanks for that. I did spend a couple of hours listening to some favourite tracks prior to adding the platforms then listening to the same music again. The change in detail/clarity was obvious and for the better.
I'm already thinking about whether my new sub would benefit from coupling to the concrete floor via spikes or decoupling via isolation? I have no idea really, maybe I should just leave things alone now.
Cheers Ady

I was thinking along similar lines, BUT have been told by a number of people who own the same sub as me, and Rel themselves when asking, do not use any kind of isolation or coupling with a large 32kg speaker, IF it was an option, the Rel or any other sub manufacturer would actually say, and list that as an option... IMHO

 

[awkwardbydesign]

I was thinking along similar lines, BUT have been told by a number of people who own the same sub as me, and Rel themselves when asking, do not use any kind of isolation or coupling with a large 32kg speaker, IF it was an option, the Rel or any other sub manufacturer would actually say, and list that as an option... IMHO

Err, how do you use them then? You have to have one or the other!

 

[Ady]

I was thinking along similar lines, BUT have been told by a number of people who own the same sub as me, and Rel themselves when asking, do not use any kind of isolation or coupling with a large 32kg speaker, IF it was an option, the Rel or any other sub manufacturer would actually say, and list that as an option... IMHO

Hi,
My BK P12-300 sub came supplied with metal spikes so it is an option for them however, I've decided to leave them off for the time being as I want to get really familiar with the current sound before making another change. Too many changes confuses my brain
Cheers Ady

 

[montesquieu]

I wouldn't part with mine - instant and immediate improvement across the board in my 1961 much-extended bungalow (used in a room with suspended floor). Albeit they do take up a lot of space.

 

[montesquieu]

I was thinking along similar lines, BUT have been told by a number of people who own the same sub as me, and Rel themselves when asking, do not use any kind of isolation or coupling with a large 32kg speaker, IF it was an option, the Rel or any other sub manufacturer would actually say, and list that as an option... IMHO

They are hardly going to say, our speaker benefits from something we don't sell so you have to pay extra to get the best out of it ... there's a lot of ignorance about what the decoupling approach does and doesn't do and hifi forums are never short of people with opinions, expecially of stuff they've never tried or in some cases never even seen up close.

The people to talk to are Townshend Audio, sadly Max is now departed but John Hannant who heads up sales is incredibly helpful. There's a no-quibble return policy in place so the risk is minimal (they say they almost never get the kit back ...).

 

[Tarzan]

Agree Townshend are very helpful via the telephone l found.

 

[PDXSNAP]

If you want to try an A -B comparison you can always add ‘chocks’ under the platforms which will largely bypass the isolation from the springs. Having said that, your findings don’t surprise me - even with a concrete floor. Glad spring isolation is working it’s magic on you as well

Many years ago I visited Max Townshend and got a good demo of these as well as his air suspension rack. He had it set up with a remote (nothing fancy just a bleed valve on the end of some hose) and he deflated the system while a track was playing and you could instantly hear a change for the worse. Good kit!